Reinforcement mesh is an array of metal bars welded together in a grid. A common use of reinforcement mesh is to bury the mesh within an earthen wall; an edge of the mesh is connected to a wall panel arranged to reinforce the earthen wall. The reinforcing mesh reinforces the wall panel(s) against loads applied by the earthen wall on the wall panel. Reinforcing mesh may also be used in other environments.
Reinforcement mesh is normally provided in sheets; these sheets often need to be connected to what will be referred to herein as the “remote object”. The remote object may be another sheet of reinforcing mesh or other objects such as the wall panels. In many situations, each metal bar extending in one direction within the sheet must be connected to the remote object to take full advantage of the reinforcing mesh. Connecting each metal bar to the remote object by welding or the like can be expensive and time consuming and require relatively skilled labor. In addition, conventional methods increase the likelihood that one of the many separate connections is faulty and thus may require extensive quality control provisions.
The need thus exists for systems and methods for connecting sheets of reinforcing mesh that are simple, fast, inexpensive, and reliable.